Back in February 2022, a VideoGamesChronicle-exclusive report came out stating that 2K had secured the LEGO license, and that it was going to be used to create three new LEGO sports games. The report claimed that the first of these games would be a LEGO soccer game, being developed by Sumo Digital and intended to release at the end of 2022 to coincide with the FIFA World Cup. The second game slated for release was said to be an open-world racing game developed by Visual Concepts. Of course, schedules must have been changed, as LEGO 2K Drive would launch first, releasing in May of this year.
That leaves 2K's leaked LEGO soccer game floating in the wind, but just a few weeks ago, a South Korean rating board listed a game called LEGO 2K Goooal!, and the industry is taking that as a near-confirmation that the game is definitely still in the works, likely to be announced sometime soon. And although it wasn't the plan, LEGO 2K Drive arriving on the scene first might not have been a bad thing, as now LEGO 2K Goooal! can learn from its mistakes.
What LEGO 2K Goooal! Can Learn From LEGO 2K Drive
Announced back in March of this year, and then released a few months later in May, LEGO 2K Drive receive a bit of a mixed reception on launch, from both critics and fans. On one end of the spectrum, LEGO 2K Drive was praised heavily by outlets like IGN, who gave it an 8/10 and cited the game's vehicle-swapping mechanic as a highlight along with its in-depth LEGO vehicle builder. But on the other end of the spectrum, LEGO 2K Drive received some more scathing reviews, such as the one by PC Gamer, scoring the game a 59/100 and condemning its monetization. Regardless of its scores, there are plenty of lessons LEGO 2K Drive could teach the leaked LEGO 2K Goooal!.
One of the biggest lessons LEGO 2K Goooal! should learn from LEGO 2K Drive is to not rely too heavily on an open-world formula. While LEGO 2K Drive's open-world hubs were varied enough and fairly fun to explore, the side missions in them weren't as enjoyable, with most of them boiling down to the same old fetch quests gamers have been completing for decades. An open-world formula doesn't fit a soccer game all too well anyway, and LEGO 2K Goooal! should instead focus all of its efforts on its campaign mode and its multiplayer tournaments and exhibition matches, ensuring that they're of the highest quality.
Another big takeaway LEGO 2K Goooal! should have from LEGO 2K Drive revolves around its pricing model. When LEGO 2K Drive first released, it retailed for the full $70. In the current market, the $70 price tag is usually reserved for gigantic AAA first-party titles like Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom or Starfield, and though LEGO 2K Drive clearly had some real effort put into it, it wasn't on the same level as a first-party exclusive, and that $70 price tag only served to turn away fans who would've wanted a cheaper hit of nostalgia.
But by far the biggest lesson LEGO 2K Goooal! needs to learn from LEGO 2K Drive is that microtransactions can kill a game before it's even stepped out of the gate. Despite being a $70 game, LEGO 2K Drive launched with both a Season Pass and a store page. Though LEGO 2K Drive's vehicle creator was almost universally praised, its microtransactions ruined the experience for many, with most of the game's best parts being locked behind a paywall. Though it's probably tempting to give LEGO 2K Goooal! its own FIFA Packs, Sumo Digital really shouldn't.
LEGO 2K Drive is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.